


Dear Senator Obama

by Petra



Series: Sparrowhawk [9]
Category: DCU - Comicverse, Supreme Power (comic)
Genre: Fanletter, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-07
Updated: 2011-06-07
Packaged: 2017-10-23 22:27:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Petra/pseuds/Petra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sparrowhawk writes a fan letter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dear Senator Obama

**Author's Note:**

> For Kink Bingo: authority figures. Harsher in hindsight.

1604 North Burling Street  
Chicago, Illinois 60614  
January 5, 2008

Barack Obama  
Senator & Candidate for President  
P.O. Box 8102  
Chicago, Illinois 60680

Dear Senator Obama:

I am your biggest fan in all of Chicago! I know a lot of people say that, and I volunteer with hundreds of them, but I think I am probably the very biggest of all. I met you at the first campaign organizing meeting you held here, and I have been canvassing for you since I first heard you were looking for volunteers. I have talked to thousands of people about your candidacy. Sometimes that's been pretty exciting for the obvious reason: I can tell people about your message and your mission! It's great! Sometimes it's been exciting in the less good way, because there are a whole bunch of people here who need you.

Have you spent much time in the Straczynski housing projects in the last few years, sir? Because I think it would be great for the people there if they met you. They've all heard your name, I promise, and some of them are almost as excited as I am by the thought of getting to vote for you. But it would mean so much to them if you went for a visit. You'd have to plan for it carefully, and I don't know what kind of faces the Secret Service guys would make, but you'd be okay. I know you would.

Because the people there, they're great people, it's just that everything around them is nasty and forgotten and falling apart, and they worry that that means they're forgotten too. The people I've talked to are all on your side, but a lot of them have forgotten that they can change the world. They're not all good at hoping anymore, Senator Obama, and I want them to be able to hope for change as much as I do.

My guardian, Kyle Richmond, says I'm hoping too much by writing you this letter. I'm sure you know him from the different benefits you've spoken at recently here, and I'm sure you've heard of the Richmond Foundation that helps people like my friends in the projects. But he says you're not going to go into those parts of the city because they're too dangerous. They're the kind of place where people tell Nighthawk stories, not the kind of place where they get to see someone who might be president soon. But I think you can prove him wrong. I think you will prove him wrong, actually, or I wouldn't write to you at all.

One of my new friends is Mrs. Georgiana Harrison, Apartment 623, Milton V. Weinstein Building in the Straczynski projects. She is 64 years old and she lives with her daughter and her four grandchildren. Her daughter works hard, when she has the energy for it, and Mrs. Harrison works hard too, keeping everybody out of trouble, even though her oldest granddaughter is sixteen and that's not an easy age.

I know it's not, because I'm sixteen, and I do things I would never write to you about, Senator.

But Mrs. Harrison doesn't think she should bother to register to vote, because nobody goes into the Straczynski projects from your canvassers except me and she doesn't think I know what I'm talking about. She says I'm just a kid, and I can't understand what she's been through. She says I'm too idealistic and that nobody's ever going to vote for you. I can't vote for you because I'm too young, but I think she's not idealistic enough.

Please help me prove her wrong. I'm sure you've read about the shootings that happen pretty much every week in her project, and I know that sounds really scary. It is scary, but you'd go in there with a bulletproof vest and a bunch of guys with headsets and good training who'd make sure that nothing happened to you. Mrs. Harrison goes in and out of there every single day by herself, sometimes with her littlest grandson Jerome who's four, and she doesn't have anybody to protect her during the daytime at all.

At night, it's only different if you believe the stories of the vigilantes, but I don't know whether you do, sir. You've probably never been in a place where you saw any evidence that they exist. Mrs. Harrison believes in them, and she says she likes them better than the police because the vigilantes aren't out to get anybody in particular, just the bad guys. She won't go out after sunset, and I know you know, Senator Obama, how early sunset is in winter here in Chicago. She's stuck under her buzzing fluorescent lighting all winter long, and nobody cares except the guys who might be out there protecting her, if they exist.

At least, that's what she thinks, and that's what my guardian thinks. I think you care, too, and I know you can prove it to me and Mrs. Harrison and Mr. Richmond and everyone.

If you come, I can help organize. I know the people in the different buildings who keep an eye on things. There's a community here, and you know how strong community can be. But please come. I want everyone to see how much you mean it when you talk about reaching out to absolutely everybody. I know you can change things for my friends here, just like you can change them for everybody else in the country.

Sincerely,

  
Jason Peter Todd  



End file.
